How essential is rest for tendonitis?

bookworm66

I hurt my thumb last Saturday in work, quick twinge that I thought nothing of until it was hurting me the next day. I've been in work all this week, and the pain has steadily grown worse.
I went to the doctor tonight and he diagnosed me with tendonitis in my thumb and prescribed a gel to use on it. He never mentioned anything about resting it, just that there was no point in him prescribing me tablets.
I do a lot of heavy lifting in my job, on average each item weighs around 7kg, but it can go right up to 25kg. But I'm just wondering if I absolutely have to rest it or if the gel and icing my wrist/thumb will help? I can't really afford to take time off at the minute

discus

Rest is fairly important.

nice_guy80

ice, ice baby?
gels imho are usually a waste of money

ice is cheaper and more effective

Clearlier

bookworm66 wrote: »

I hurt my thumb last Saturday in work, quick twinge that I thought nothing of until it was hurting me the next day. I've been in work all this week, and the pain has steadily grown worse.
I went to the doctor tonight and he diagnosed me with tendonitis in my thumb and prescribed a gel to use on it. He never mentioned anything about resting it, just that there was no point in him prescribing me tablets.
I do a lot of heavy lifting in my job, on average each item weighs around 7kg, but it can go right up to 25kg. But I'm just wondering if I absolutely have to rest it or if the gel and icing my wrist/thumb will help? I can't really afford to take time off at the minute

A good occupational therapist (possibly one with expertise in splinting) would probably be able to help you continue to work without aggravating the injury. Sorry, I can't recommend one and don't really know how you would access one aside from using google. Most work in the public system but there will be some who work privately. In the UK (where I live) they're beginning to appear in GP surgeries but I don't know if that happens in Ireland yet.

Dave 101

If you can't afford to take time off then don't, strap it up as best you can during work and ice it after work put the gel on wen going to bed so it works during the night

TimeToShine

Probably an anti-inflammatory would help as well.